Pep Guardiola admits watching the Champions League from home instead of the sidelines has fueled his determination to return next season. Manchester City were eliminated by Real Madrid in the play-off round back in February, marking their earliest exit from the competition since 2012-2013—and the first time in Guardiola’s managerial career he didn’t reach the last 16.
Despite the disappointment, Guardiola said he’s been enjoying the quality of the semi-final matches featuring Arsenal, PSG, Barcelona, and Inter Milan. “They’ve been good games,” he noted. “It’s a motivation. Fighting to qualify for the Champions League isn’t a bad thing. Hopefully, next season we’ll be back among Europe’s elite and perform better than this season.”
City are currently fighting to finish in the Premier League’s top five, which would secure their spot in next year’s Champions League. They sit fifth with six matches remaining, just one point ahead of Chelsea and Aston Villa.
Guardiola admitted the team’s performance has dipped significantly compared to previous seasons when they claimed four consecutive league titles. “People say we’re fifth, but we could easily be 11th, 12th, 13th, or 14th,” he warned. “Yes, we haven’t been great, but qualification is still in our hands.”
Injury issues continue for City ahead of their visit to Everton, with Erling Haaland, John Stones, Nathan Ake, and Ederson all unavailable. However, Manu Akanji could return for the first time in two months, while Phil Foden is fit again after missing the win over Crystal Palace.
